LED's are killing my Zoas!

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I would look at pests Zoanthid spiders or zoapox, where lighting could be the issue I suspect pests
 
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reeferfoxx said:
NSW is 0.005ppm. Your phosphates are 0.64ppm? You think that might the issue? lol

Also, you are dosing Amino Acids and your NO3 is 0ppm?

I'm gonna take a guess here and say you have a nutrient problem.
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I read wrong.... I thought .064 lol, if truly .64 I think you may have a winner
 
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If truly . 64 then that's definitely your problem. Since you're carbon dosing you drove down your nitrates too low where you created an imbalance (read about it) . If I were you I would do a large w/c add some gfo / ( some people use LC) kept dosing carbon and supplement your tank with nitrates. 1 zoas like some nitrates and 2 in conjunction with carbon dosing it will help you reduce your phosphates .
 
Best way to help is to get a list of exactly what you are dosing and how much you are dosing. What type of chemical and mechanical filtrations you have running. And how many fish you have?
 
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Zoas need dirty water. NO3 of 0 is way too low. You want at least 1.0 ppm. 2-5 is better. PO4 for zoas is 0.03-0.05. Higher if your tank can handle it but your NO3 has to go higher too then.

Did you quote your pH correctly: 8.76? That is way to high. Something is off. Either your Alk test is reading low or your pH test is off.

You are running biopellets. Turn down the flow through them or use less pellets. This will let the NO3 climb some. Also, a high bacteria count is not conducive to zoas. It's not good for a lot of things we try to keep in the reef tank. But I have had extreme zoa meltdowns by having a bacteria count go too high.
 
BlueCursor said:
Zoas need dirty water. NO3 of 0 is way too low. You want at least 1.0 ppm. 2-5 is better. PO4 for zoas is 0.03-0.05. Higher if your tank can handle it but your NO3 has to go higher too then.
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While I dont agree with the alk issue (my tank runs between 10.8-11) I agree that they would prefer dirtier water-as in NOT pristine. My zoas grow great with just a protein skimmer and chemipure, but I also have a 25 gallon tank too. I cannot grow the harder SPS because my tank water is "dirty". Nitrates are between 1-2 and 0 phosphates (on a good day).
If you say you have a mixed reef tank...I cant imagine your SPS/LPS are doing very well if zoas cant grow. **if they are, we need to look beyond the phosphate because thats not that causal factor**
Im wondering where your phos is coming from. My first questions are always:
1-what kind of water do you use?
2-how many fish do you have?
3-whats your WC schedule?
Good luck!! I love my oompa loompa palys :D
 
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That is interesting. I caught zoa pox so all my zoas went into qt. my palys are growing like crazy since they've been gone though.
 
SPS can tolerate NO3 up to 12ppm. I don't like to go that high. In a mixed tank 5-10ppm is where you want to be. Zoas and palys will close up with po4 of 0.09+ppm. The higher phosphates will cause alkalinity swings which would stress them also.
 
ahiggins said:
While I dont agree with the alk issue (my tank runs between 10.8-11) I agree that they would prefer dirtier water-as in NOT pristine. My zoas grow great with just a protein skimmer and chemipure, but I also have a 25 gallon tank too. I cannot grow the harder SPS because my tank water is "dirty". Nitrates are between 1-2 and 0 phosphates (on a good day).
If you say you have a mixed reef tank...I cant imagine your SPS/LPS are doing very well if zoas cant grow. **if they are, we need to look beyond the phosphate because thats not that causal factor**
Im wondering where your phos is coming from. My first questions are always:
1-what kind of water do you use?
2-how many fish do you have?
3-whats your WC schedule?
Good luck!! I love my oompa loompa palys :D
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The LPS/SPS remark isn't entirely true. There are some finicky zoas and some very hardy SPS. Stylophora for one can with stand almost any parameter. So unless we know what he as stocked, we can only go by what he tells us.
 
If you're worried about your lights lower the intensity to start with. If you see improvement you know it's your lights then.
 
Lovemycj7 said:
If you're worried about your lights lower the intensity to start with. If you see improvement you know it's your lights then.
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It's not the lights. Their phosphates are at 0.64ppm.
 
reeferfoxx said:
The LPS/SPS remark isn't entirely true. There are some finicky zoas and some very hardy SPS. Stylophora for one can with stand almost any parameter. So unless we know what he as stocked, we can only go by what he tells us.
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Youre right, Ive never been able to keep stylophoras but I can keep stylococeine (sp?). Same with torch and hammer lol torches die while hammers thrive.
I was just making a point that if his test was wrong about the phos and everything else was thriving in a mixed reef....his problem lies elsewhere.
 
Don't forget either. It's a 180 gallon system. Water changes on a system like this, won't typically reach the 20-30% range. Realistically 5% is ideal for trace elements. In this case he would rely on chemical filtration, dosing and proper maintenance like looking for dead snails and other livestock. Quality skimmers will help with nutrient export as well. So for now, we need to not focus on throwing every bottle of dosing liquids in, every type of media reactor made and every type of bagged filter media they make. For this tank I would recommend upping the recommended dosage of AcroPower, removing all media reactors except for GFO. Monitor Cal, Alk and Mag closely. If you are carbon dosing, cut that in half but don't cut it completely. And really just keep it simple for now. Maybe invest in a algae turf scrubber. That will help absorb po4 in a more natural way.
 
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Hahahahaha I wish! But my tiny apartment is maxed out at a 25, a 20, and a 10 lol
And two cats
 

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